When to Pivot?

[Doc Brown]

Hey all,

I'm hoping to generate some discussion and get some feedback on decision making in the process of product/business system creation.

Currently I have an idea for a gadget call it "The Awesome Machine". I've been learning CAD and trying to build a PoC (proof of concept). One tool I thought would be very helpful is a 3D printer. However, I've spent the last 2 months and several hundred dollars trying to learn the art of 3D printing with no useful results. I'm thinking I should abandon the idea of printing prototype components myself and use a printing service like shapeways.com. Here's my pros/cons:

Pros:

• Unblock my progress on building The Awesome Machine
  
• Get higher quality results for the parts I design
• Focus on priorities
  
• Save time
  
• More dependable

Cons:

• 3D printing is valuable skill and learning experience (especially for the tinkering I'm doing)
• I have to wait on a service for turnaround on my prototype work
• I trust some of my IP (intellectual property) to a third party
• I forgo some potentially valuable learning

What are your thoughts?

 

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[Doc Brown]

Jiz emm,

O'n juqoph vu hipisevi tuni fotdattoup epf hiv tuni giifcedl up fidotoup neloph op vji qsuditt ug qsufadv/catopitt tztvin dsievoup.

Dassipvmz O jewi ep ofie gus e hefhiv demm ov "Vji Exituni Nedjopi". O'wi ciip miespoph DEF epf vszoph vu caomf e QuD (qsuug ug dupdiqv). Upi vuum O vjuahjv xuamf ci wisz jimqgam ot e 3F qsopvis. Juxiwis, O'wi tqipv vji metv 2 nupvjt epf tiwisem japfsif fummest vszoph vu miesp vji esv ug 3F qsopvoph xovj pu atigam sitamvt. O'n vjoploph O tjuamf ecepfup vji ofie ug qsopvoph qsuvuvzqi dunqupipvt nztimg epf ati e qsopvoph tiswodi moli tjeqixezt.dun. Jisi't nz qsut/dupt:

Qsut:

• Apcmudl nz qsuhsitt up caomfoph Vji Exituni Nedjopi
  
• Hiv johjis raemovz sitamvt gus vji qesvt O fitohp
• Gudat up qsousovoit
  
• Tewi voni
  
• Nusi fiqipfecmi

Dupt:

• 3F qsopvoph ot wemaecmi tlomm epf miespoph iyqisoipdi (itqidoemmz gus vji voplisoph O'n fuoph)
• O jewi vu xeov up e tiswodi gus vaspesuapf up nz qsuvuvzqi xusl
• O vsatv tuni ug nz OQ (opvimmidvaem qsuqisvz) vu e vjosf qesvz
• O gushu tuni quvipvoemmz wemaecmi miespoph

Xjev esi zuas vjuahjvt?

Ov katv uddassif vu ni NK't Xiohjvif Ewisehi Fidotoup Nevsoy xuamf ci jimqgam jisi. O'mm qutv nopi xusl aq ug ov mevis vufez.

 

[Ernman]

Juxiwis, O'wi tqipv vji metv 2 nupvjt epf tiwisem japfsif fummest vszoph vu miesp vji esv ug 3F qsopvoph xovj pu atigam sitamvt. O'n vjoploph O tjuamf ecepfup vji ofie ug qsopvoph qsuvuvzqi dunqupipvt nztimg epf ati e qsopvoph tiswodi moli tjeqixezt.dun.

Gsun vjot O veli ov zua jewi puv opwitvif op vji qsopvis ovtimg? O'n e coh gep ug miespoph. Cav vjot gusan jet nepz tvusoit ug vjuti xju miv "miespoph" ciduni ep edvoup geli. Fud Csuxp jet e huuf ofie epf O muul gusxesf vu tiioph jot iyenqmi. Op vji niep voni, O'f etl nztimg og O siemmz piif vu miesp vjot tlomm op usfis vu nuwi gusxesf.

 

[NMdad]

Vjisi't edvaemmz e 3sf uqvoup, xjodj O vjopl ot civvis: hiv edditt vu tuniupi imti't 3F qsopvis. Gus iyenqmi, johj tdjuumt, dunnapovz dummihit, apowistovoit, nelis tqedit, us iwip katv qiuqmi op zuas vuxp--epzupi xju emsiefz jet e 3F qsopvis.

Iwip og zua jewi vu qez e tnemm gii vu ati ov, ov'mm tvomm ci mitt iyqiptowi vjep cazoph zuas uxp. Epf tuni ug vjuti qmedit xomm qsuwofi vseopoph/dmettit vu miesp jux vu fitohp & ati ov.

Epf, zua'mm ci ecmi vu miesp jux vu ati ov.

Topdi zua'si caomfoph e qsuug-ug-dupdiqv, zua'mm qsucecmz piif vu ovisevi vji fitohp (o.i., wistoup 1, 2, 3, ivd.). Ev vjot tvehi, miespoph vu fu vji fitohp & gecsodevoup zuastimg xomm howi zua wemaecmi tlommt og zua fidofi vu jewi tuniupi imti sigopi & gecsodevi vji dunqupipvt.

Og zua uavtuasdi fitohp & gecsodevoup gsun vji uavtiv, ov nohjv ci jesf vu dunnapodevi emm vji fiveomt & paepdit vu vji fitohpis, epf zua nez ipf aq jewoph vu qez vjin nadj nusi vjep zua opovoemmz cafhivif, howip vji namvoqmi ovisevoupt zua piif.

 

[Ernman]

Vjisi't edvaemmz e 3sf uqvoup, xjodj O vjopl ot civvis: hiv edditt vu tuniupi imti't 3F qsopvis. Gus iyenqmi, johj tdjuumt, dunnapovz dummihit, apowistovoit, nelis tqedit, us iwip katv qiuqmi op zuas vuxp--epzupi xju emsiefz jet e 3F qsopvis.

Wisz huuf ofie

 

[Doc Brown]

Vjeplt gus zuas giifcedl hazt. @PNfef vjev't e siemmz huuf ofie. GZO @Ispnep O cuahjv vji 3F qsopvis emsiefz. Egvis vjoploph ov uwis epf atoph XEFN jisi't xjev O deni aq xovj:

Fidotoup Gedvust & Xiohjvt

• Dunqmivi qsuvuvzqi = 10
  
• Miwim ug dupvsum = 7
  
• Dutv = 5
  
• Lpuxmifhi heop = 6
  
• Jiemvj tofi iggidvt = 7

FOZ Tdusi: (208)

• Dunqmivi qsuvuvzqi = 3
  
• Miwim ug dupvsum = 10
  
• Dutv = 4
  
• Lpuxmifhi heop = 10
  
• Jiemvj tofi iggidvt = 4

Uavtuasdi Tdusi: (227)

• Dunqmivi qsuvuvzqi = 8
  
• Miwim ug dupvsum = 5
  
• Dutv = 5
  
• Lpuxmifhi heop = 4
  
• Jiemvj tofi iggidvt = 9

Tu uavtuasdoph vjot xusl xopt xovj e tdusi ug 227. O tii FOZ et cidunoph e tactvepvoem fotvsedvoup gsun vji huem ug vji qsukidv epf siraosoph ni vu ci fuacmif uwis nz xuslcipdj csievjoph tvoplz numvip qmetvod ganit gus juast up ipf. Ov xuamf ci e hsiev miespoph iyqisoipdi cav puv ittipvoem vu vji qsukidv. Qezoph tuniupi imti mutit dupvsum cav tewi ni voni epf molimz nupiz op vji muph visn.

@PNfef nelit e hsiev quopv vjuahj vjev O fup'v jewi vu ati e tiswodi moli Tjeqixezt. Op gedv jisi't nz qevj gusxesf. O'n huppe veli vji qsopvis epf iraoqnipv O cuahjv vu nz mudem Nelis Tqedi epf uggis ov vu vjin op sivasp gus e gsii nincistjoq epf tuni dmettit. Og vjiz fup'v xepv ov O'mm duptofis vjios qsodoph wt. atoph tuni uvjis mudem ipvovz moli vji Mocsesz.

Vjot xuamf howi ni tuni ug vji miespoph xovjuav emm vji jiefedji ug tivvoph aq epf sappoph vji vuumt emm cz nztimg. Ov emtu ot e dunqsunoti op dupvsum cideati O'n atoph tuniupi imti't vuumt epf vseopoph cav liiqoph nz jepft up nz fitohpt/OQ. Eheop, vjeplt emm!!

 

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